Audubon’s 4th Annual Green Walk in celebration of Earth Day 2012
Numerous organizations worldwide are preparing the celebration of Earth Day 2012; a day set aside to promote environmental awareness and small steps to a “greener” life. Earth Day is on April twenty-second, but on the twenty-first the Belize Audubon Society is planning its fourth annual Green Walk. It’s a cleanup campaign on the Western Highway that is also aimed at encouraging behavioral changes in Belizeans. According to Audubon Publicity Director, Dirk Francisco, there are still miles available for groups to sign up and support the event.
Dirk Francisco, Publicity Coordinator, Belize Audubon Society
Dirk Francisco
“It’s April once again and Belize Audubon Society traditional celebrates Earth Day on April twenty-second along with other global organizations. Earth Day is a time of year when Belize Audubon Society tries to mobilize Belizeans in becoming environmentally conscious like to live green or be green. So this year, we’re doing our annual Green Walk, which is to get groups together to clean up from Belize City to Guanacaste National Park and from Belmopan City to Guanacaste National Park. All it is is people come together form a group and we give them some miles to clean and at the same have fun doing something good for the environment. But the activity is more than just cleaning up the highway, we’re trying to create a change amongst Belizeans; we want them to stop littering, we want them to recognize the importance of nature and the services that nature contributes to Belize. So it’s a day of education and fun.”
Delahnie Bain
“Now, getting out there, walking the highways and picking up garbage; not exactly something everyone wants to do. What kind of support have you seen for this event over the past few years?”
Dirk Francisco
“The support has been becoming bigger and bigger. The Belizean businesses, many Belizean individuals have contributed significantly to this event and Belize Audubon Society thanks them for their support and we continue to foster a good working relationship with some of the embassies in Belize like the US Embassy, the Costa Rican Embassies; different embassies in Belize. We also have great support from the Belmopan City Council so we always thank them for their support; some high schools in Belize like Pallotti High School, Belmopan Baptist, 4H; all of these groups have given great support to the Green Walk. And we’re still accepting groups for this April twenty-first. We still have some miles uncovered so if you want to participate, please form a group and call in the Belize Audubon Society so we can give you miles. We provide all the water, the garbage bags. We don’t provide transportation so you have to provide your own transportation for participation in this year’s event.”
The Green Walk starts at six a.m. at the Texaco Gas Station at the junction of the Western Highway and Central American Boulevard. Participants are advised to start their miles as early as possible to beat the heat. The walk ends at the Guanacaste Park where participants and the general public can sign their green pledge on a mural.
